2 Detroit Women Partner To Celebrate, Provide Resources At Juneteenth Event

(CBS DETROIT) -  Two women in Detroit have partnered to celebrate and provide resources for the community at a Juneteenth event this year.

It's scheduled to take place at 16065 Hamilton Ave. in Highland Park on Saturday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when slavery was abolished in the United States.

On June 19, 1865, union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas to tell the enslaved they were free.

This was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863.

Kristy Stanford of Thoughts Become Things and Tia Russell of Take My Hand have teamed up to not only educate the community on Juneteenth but also provide valuable steps and resources to push the community forward.

Kristy Stanford of Thoughts Become Things, left, and Tia Russell of Take My Hand have partnered to provide valuable steps and resources for a Juneteenth event this year.

Some of these resources include credit repair, mental health, life insurance, utility resources and financial literacy.

"The overall goal is to help serve the community but also make sure that people that we serve are in a better position six months from now so that they can help others as well," said Stanford.

Other resources include HIV testing and free giveaways such as hygiene kits, self-care kits, fresh food boxes, and diapers and formula. These giveaways are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Russell says Juneteenth is important to her because it not only recognizes the emancipation of slaves in the U.S., but because there are still fights to end racism in the nation.

"(The) major population we serve are African Americans, so providing them with resources to help them grow and progress is another step to hope. Although many of us are free, people are still slaves in the mind. The free resources given during this event are many of the categories that need to be addressed in our community that we lack," said Russell.

Stanford says she and Russell took note of resources the community lacked and tried to fill those voids.

"Our mindsets are our strongest weapons and once you're able to be sufficient on your own you'll be able to take action on what you truly want in life. We want our community to take action to improve not only themselves but the people around them," said Stanford.

"For many years we have not been celebrating this day as we should. So we are glad to have partnered to honor Juneteenth and impart valuable knowledge to our community. We have the power to act, speak and think as we want by adding meaningful contributions to act on behalf of all of those whose lives are treated with biases and oppression," said Russell.

To partner with Stanford and Russell or to receive more information, email hello@thekristylove.com or tmhnonprofit@gmail.com.

Those who wish to donate to the event can do so via Cash App: $kristylove or $takemyhandnp.

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